Bilateral tuberculous pleural effusions with markedly different characteristics.

A 72-year-old man presented with malaise, weight loss, and cough. Chest radiograph revealed bilateral pleural effusions. On thoracentesis, the left effusion was a clear yellow exudate with more than 90% lymphocytes, and the right effusion was a grossly bloody exudate with more than 90% neutrophils. Cultures of both effusions grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis.